Melkor's Return
by Beren Halfhand
Summary: A sequel to the Third Age - The return of many old friends and some new. More Chapters to come if people are interested.


MELKOR & SAURON  
  
Melkor bent his will against the void. Try as he might he could not locate the evil Ungoliant from within the Void. After many ages turned, his thought turned to Sauron.  
  
My most loyal servant shall serve me once more.  
  
From that moment on Melkor's only thought was to bring Sauron to his aid to release him from his imprisonment. In the end Sauron failed in the task set him by Melkor and was struck down by an insignificant creature called Frodo with the assistance of the deceitfully strong Mithrander of the Istari. So ended the Third Age of Middle Earth with Sauron's power being dissipated amongst the fiery contents of Orodruin or Amon Amarth (Mount Doom).  
  
As the Fourth Age began Melkor's thoughts turned more and more to Ungoliant. How could he obtain her aid to escape his prison? His intellect and considerable powers conceived of returning Sauron to his insubstantial shadow state and forcing him to locate Ungoliant with the offer of a Silmaril.  
  
As I consider it, so it shall be. There issued forth from the prison the merest slip of Melkor's mighty power to prompt Sauron into action.  
  
As the dark mists below Mount Doom convulsed and fumed, an insubstantial patch of shadow appeared to coalesce. The shadow appeared to attract darkness to its form. What that form may be could not be guessed. The shadow blended into the patches of darkness surrounding it. A very faint glow appeared within the shadow. Darkness descended and the shadow moved upon the earth. Filled with purpose the shadow sped away from Mount Doom to the outer reaches of Ea. Ungoliant was not within Middle Earth but had moved far East and South after the rape of the two trees.  
  
She was the mightiest creature on Ea. Nothing could withstand her malignancy. She had spawned children over the ages and consumed almost as many as she had uttered forth. Her thoughts dark and malevolent turned ever to the bright jewels she had been denied many ages past. The trickster had given with one hand and withheld with the other. I will have my revenge.  
  
The region of Ea where dwelt Ungoliant was dark and ruinous. Many evil creatures from the First Age could be found there. Some even, of the great servants of Melkor, that escaped the destruction at the end of the great battle of Dagorlad, resided in that dark region. Great Balrogs and Dragons there were in plenty. They had prospered over the long years since the great battle with Gil-Galad and Elendil.  
  
It was now infested with evil men and Orcs and the spawn of Ungoliant herself. Some still of the distant issue of Glaurung the great preyed upon the weak and few.  
  
A great city there was at the edge of the land bordering the great sea. The city was raised in the time of the Numenoreans at the height of their power. A great city it was and remained even after the passing of the Third Age of men.  
  
Therein dwelt the most loathsome of men and chief amongst them was their evil King Ar-Pharazon. In his supreme arrogance he had taken the name of the last King of the Numenoreans, and claim descent from them he did. Full worship of Melkor was practised in Mar-nu-Melkor.  
  
Great store of knowledge had he. Prior to the time of Ar-Pharazon, in the reign of Ar-Gimilzor, during the persecution of the Elendili, the city had been built according to the secret wishes of Ar-Gimilzor. He named the city Mar-nu-Melkor, (the land of Melkor). A great store of arms and knowledge had been taken before the downfall of Numenor to Mar-nu-Melkor.  
  
In this great city many evil things abode. In the dungeon of Ar-Pharazon's castle there was a creature of unbridled power. The creature's name was unknown to any that lived under earth or sky and was whispered only amongst the Maiar and Valar.  
  
The Istari (Wizard) named Sinthrar had come in his wanderings to Mar-nu- Melkor some time near the beginning of the Third Age. He had become first adviser to the King of that time Ar-Melkorean. Ar-Melkorean had set Sinthrar the task of discovering the full knowledge stored in the great library and to discern the nature and name of the creature secured in the Castle's dungeon. For in this creature, thought Ar-Melkorean, lay the secret behind the immortality of Elves and Valar.  
  
Sinthrar had spent a considerable amount of time studying the full store of knowledge in the library and was no closer to discerning what the creature was than ever before. His frustration was immense, as the creature was completely unresponsive to every language directed to it and seemed to move in form according to the perception of the viewer.  
  
Sinthrar's suspicion was that the creature was in fact a Maiar of some considerable power that had descended to Ea at the time of Melkor's first descent into Middle Earth. It appeared to have lost its purpose or was hibernating, as it was unresponsive to any stimuli.  
  
Sinthrar knew that his suspicions may prove unfounded but he was prepared to advise Ar-Pharazon of his suspicions. If they could but awaken the creature and bend it to their will they may be able to escape to the Northwest and conquer Middle Earth, or indeed unlock the secret to life eternal.  
  
As the King mused on his problems he realised that his people were growing more and more restless. For past 15 years of his reign there had been no more lands to conquer. The only lands left were those blocked off to them by sea and land being Middle Earth. Since the downfall of Numenor the sea had changed and great peaks rose up preventing access to Middle Earth from the south-eastern sea route which Ar-Pharazon would take. The only other route was through the wild lands controlled by Ungoliant and her ugly brood.  
  
Some 4 years ago Ar-Pharazon had sent a sizeable raiding party into her dominion to test her mettle. Ungoliant had not even bothered to appear in answer to the trumpeted challenge from his raiding party. She was so bloated and fearsome she had merely devoured the evil creatures that had answered the challenge and decimated Ar-Pharazon's troops.  
  
Some evil looking spiders and a small dragon, together with an amazing creature that appeared to wield a whip, were devoured by Ungoliant. From a considerable distance Ar-Pharazon had witnessed the whole battle through his looking glass. Ungoliant had a lengthy battle with the creature wielding the whip and appeared to toy with it for a considerable amount of time before devouring it in a most slow and painful manner.  
  
Ar-Pharazon was appalled at how long it had taken for the creature to die at the hands of Ungoliant. It took a period of two days before the loathsome Ungoliant finally bit off the head of the whip wielder. That was after a lengthy battle and an even lengthier period of torture.  
  
In the end the creature's final cries of pain and fear were heard by Ar- Pharazon just before Ungoliant bit off its head even though he was some 3 miles distant.  
  
"That oh-great King was a Balrog of some obvious power" said Sinthrar to the King as they witnessed the death throws of the now headless body.  
  
What stood between Ar-Pharazon and conquest of Middle Earth were Ungoliant and her brood. No previous King had been able to move her from the wild- lands to the Northwest of Mar-nu-Melkor.  
  
Ar-Pharazon sat in his antechamber pondering his dilemma. Sinthrar appeared through a secret side door to the antechamber and approached the King. "Greetings oh mighty King, I have good tidings today." "What be they?" "The creature has revealed a small part of its makings and purpose."  
  
"How did that come to pass Sinthrar?"  
  
"I was able to use an ancient spell or revealing I discovered in the writings of an Elf called Galadriel. The spell was most useful. A greater portion of the beast is still within the great void, apart from Ea. How this comes to be is most unusual, as the beast appears to live both here and there at the same time. That may explain why it constantly changes in appearance according to the nature of the viewer. It is most likely a Maiar or possibly even a Valar." "A Valar in my dungeon! Should that prove so we best be rid of it immediately."  
  
"There is no need to panic King, it is a mere possibility and by no means certain. If it is a Maiar we will be able to bend it to our will with the right stimulus. If it proves to be a Valar we may have to reconsider our position."  
  
King Ar-Pharazon looked carefully at Sinthrar and withheld his innermost thoughts on the matter knowing that to betray too much to the Wizard would be to reveal potential weakness. No weakness should be visible to any servant, thought Ar-Pharazon. This bodes well for riding myself of the evil Ungoliant, he thought.  
  
As the Wizard and King regarded each other with suspicion an insubstantial shadow passed silently behind them and through the wall. It descended into the depths of the Castle until it reached the dungeon.  
  
The deepest pit of the dungeon held the creature. The shadow appeared as a deeper expanse of darkness in front of the creature.  
  
A strange noise came from within the depths of the creature as the shadow moved in the darkness and pulsed with an errie glow. The creature felt a sensation. The first in its existence. Fear.  
  
The shadow moved towards the creature and entered into it. A high pitched wail went up upon contact between the creature and the shadow. The sound reverberated throughout the castle. The King and Sinthrar looked at each other in dismay as the wail of the creature washed over them. It robbed both of them of their senses and they fell to their knees in quaking terror.  
  
After what seemed an eternity the wail ceased and both men immediately got to their feet and regained their composure. Ar-Pharazon said, "What was that Wizard?"  
  
Sinthrar had no idea what it was but knew the only likely source. "It came from the dungeon Sire, it must be the creature."  
  
"But the creature has never spoken or uttered so much as a sound, Wizard." "I know that Sire, but the only thing in the castle that could create such a terrifying sound would be the creature."  
  
The King summoned his Captain of the Guard, Kelca. The Captain entered the antechamber. He was a man of incredible grace and strength. He stood some 7 foot tall and, strangely for a descendant of the dark Numenoreans, he was blond haired. His face was finely chiselled with a small nose. He had a fine strong jaw and his heritage harkened back to those of the Elendili. All who met Kelca knew here was one to have on your side in battle. He was without peer with bow, lance or sword.  
  
He had, according to legend, beaten in single combat a dragon.  
  
He was well liked by his men and commanded respect from every person he met. Even the King held him in high regard, as he was completely loyal and incredibly useful as the Captain of the Royal Guards. He was a chief adviser to the King on battle plans, much to the dislike of the King's Generals.  
  
"Go now to the pit and see what is amiss with the creature", said the King.  
  
Without a moments hesitation Kelca went immediately to the pit taking some 3 men of the Royal Guard with him, Jodor, Bevas and Scora. As they descended into the depths of the dungeon Jodor elbowed Scora in the ribs. Scora turned towards Jodor and heard him whisper "What is this all about?" "How would I know Jodo, I'm just a guard, ask Kelca."  
  
Jodor looked across at Bevas, who merely shrugged and nodded his head forwards towards Kelca. Jodor got the hint and pushed ahead of his companions to engage Kelca in conversation. "Um, er, Sir, I was wondering..."  
  
"Not now Jodo, we have a task for the King and that is all you will need to know until I say otherwise."  
  
Jodor slowed his pace and fell back amongst Scora and Bevas. He whispered, "I tried."  
  
All three of the guards trusted Kelca completely, but they were dismayed at the prospect of having to confront whatever had uttered the dreadful wail that had unmanned them only some minutes before.  
  
Kelca, glanced back over his shoulder at his men and realised they were not in the best shape for the task ahead and that he would have to stiffen their resolve. "No need to worry lads, the creature below is no match for four swords of cold steel. I will make sure we get out of this scrape all right."  
  
The three guards tension visibly lessened after Kelca's words of reassurance and they joked with each other over the task ahead.  
  
"Ha, all Jodo would need to do is smile at the creature, no steel required", said Scora. "I do not believe my smile, evil as it may be rumoured to be, would hurt the creature in the least", said Jodor in an offended tone in response. At this a huge laugh came from Bevas, and he sputtered "Ha, that is because you don't have to look in the mirror if you don't want to Jodo."  
  
Kelca was well pleased with his men's change in mood as the task set by the King was going to be hard enough without internal fears clouding the minds of his men.  
  
"We will simply enter the chamber and see what the creature is about. If it has settled down we will not disturb it further, but if it poses a danger to the realm we will destroy it." Decisive action was Kelca's forte and he knew that any hesitation in the pit would mean death. His men looked to him for that leadership and he always provided it.  
  
As they approached the outermost, yet deepest of the prison guardrooms they observed the two dungeon guards on their knees quaking in fear. "Get up you two idiots", said Kelca. "The creature is in the pit, not out here." At that the two prison guards got warily to their feet and opened the door to the stairwell into the pit. "Here take the keys for the pit, I want no part of it," said the guard to Kelca. Kelca looked at the man with contempt and took the keys from him. Obviously his nerves had left him. Both of the guards seeing that Kelca was not going to kill them fled up the stairs as if Ungoliant herself were after them.  
  
"Obviously not officer material there", said Bevas as the men fled past him up the stairway.  
  
"Right, lads we have to enter the chamber and see whether the creature has escaped its bonds or just what has happened in the pit. As soon as we open the door we will fan out to either side of the creature. Bevas you will hold a torch as well as your sword. Do not act until I say. Understood?"  
  
Each man nodded to Kelca and Bevas went to the guardroom and fetched a large torch. They slowly descended into the depths of the dungeon to the pit. The long winding staircase was oozing foetid water and a strange chill seemed to emanate from the walls.  
  
As Kelca reached the bottom of the stairway he listened intently for any noise from within the pit. As each man finally reached the bottom Kelca nodded to Bevas to follow immediately behind him into the pit. Kelca put the key in the lock and turned it briskly. A loud click was heard. Kelca pushed open the cell door to the pit, and entered swiftly. Bevas followed quickly behind and both Jodor and Scora fanned out in opposite directions.  
  
What confronted the men was a large thing chained to the pit wall. One of the chains appeared to be broken from its wall mountings and the creature was pulling on the other.  
  
  
  
END CHAPTER!!!! 


End file.
